Australian sect members jailed over death of child

A judge has jailed 14 members of a fringe Australian religious group over the "slow and painful" death of an eight-year-old diabetic girl who was denied life-saving insulin.

The father and mother of Elizabeth Rose Struhs, as well as the leader and other members of the Saints sect, were convicted of manslaughter last month in the Queensland Supreme Court in Brisbane.

The small, home-based church in the Queensland city of Toowoomba held a "core belief" in the healing power of God, leaving no room for medical care or treatment, the court found.

The girl died of ketoacidosis - a severe complication of diabetes - after her insulin medication was halted for days.

"Elizabeth suffered a slow and painful death, and you are all, in one way or another, responsible," Justice Martin Burns said in a sentencing hearing.

The mother Kerrie Struhs and father Jason Struhs were each sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Both had been found guilty of abdicating their duty of care to their daughter.

"Elizabeth's death was, and remains, profoundly disturbing, if for no other reason than that it was so entirely and easily preventable," Mr Burns said.

Sect leader Brendan Stevens was jailed for 13 years.

"Your subsequent attempts to distance yourself from the consequences of your conduct are to be deplored," Mr Burns said.

"You are a dangerous, highly manipulative individual, and the authorities would do well to keep that in mind on your release from prison."

Other members of the group received sentences ranging from six to nine years.

All had been convicted of intentionally encouraging the father to withhold insulin.

"Each of you engaged in some sort of spiritual gamble with the life of a child - a child you professed to love," said Burns.

Jason Struhs had told police his daughter was "bouncing around, playing" at first - but over the following days started "slowly getting weaker and weaker", court documents showed.

Jason Struhs and sect leader Stevens were each found not guilty of murder because it could not be proven they realised she would probably die, given their state of mind at the time, the judge said.

None of the defendants accepted legal counsel during the trial or entered pleas to the charges against them.

The judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf.